RCMP officer shot in arm during vehicle stop near Golden

Mounties say an officer was shot and injured Tuesday during a vehicle stop near Golden, B.C.

According to B.C. RCMP, a suspect in a vehicle stopped near the weigh scales west of Golden in connection with a possible theft failed to comply with police direction and stole a nearby vehicle.

“At this time were confirming that our officer sustained a gunshot injury during the circumstances surrounding the initial vehicle stop,” said Staff Sergeant Rob Vermeulen, spokesperson for RCMP in B.C.

“The police officer has been taken to hospital. The officer and family are being offered all possible support.”

Robert Creasser, a spokesperson for the Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada, said a female RCMP officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries to the arm and hand during an exchange of gunfire.

An employee of a nearby gas station told Postmedia that a police officer had been shot in the arm and the suspect, who fled in a stolen car, was also shot by police.

Witness Greg Jeannotte told Global BC that police were operating a checkstop on the highway when the driver behind him pulled out a rifle as police approached.

“I heard two gun shots, one came from the police . . . and one came from the rifle. I heard ‘police officer down, police officer down,’” Jeannotte told Global BC.

“The suspect jumped over the meridian and pointed his gun at an older couple and told them to get out of the vehicle. They complied and he drove off westbound on Trans-Canada Highway 1.”

A search is underway for the suspect, with multiple police resources responding, RCMP said.

A section of Highway 1 from Revelstoke to Donald Station was shut down following the incident.

“Thank you very much to the motoring public for their patience,” said Vermeulen.

“These are serious allegations, and our officers needed to work quickly to gather perishable evidence.”

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Market to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.